McMaster researchers identify ‘unicorn’ defence mechanism that protects bacteria from antibiotics

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered unique characteristics of a mechanism used by bacteria to resist an important class of antibiotics.

The new research, published in Nature Chemical Biology, shows that resistance to aminoglycoside drugs — used to treat a variety of infections — is far more complex than initially thought.

Lead investigator Gerry Wright, professor of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster, says his lab observed never-before-seen versatility in ApmA, a long-studied bacterial resistance gene.

It is also World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, and this research shows how much there is still to learn about the mechanisms of resistance.